MENAL CAS.

Dew fwells the corn, kids browze the tender tree,
The goats love fallow*; fair Amyntas me.

DAMETA S.

Mine Pollio loves, though 'tis a rustic song;
Mufe, feed a steer for him that reads thee long.

MENAL CAS.

Nay Pollio writes, and at the king's command;
Mufe, feed the bulls that push, and spurn the fand.

DAMETAS.

Let Pollio have what-e'er thy with provokes,
Myrrh from his thorns, and honey from his oaks.

MENAL CAS.

He that loves Bavius' fongs may fancy thine;
The fame may couple wolves, and shear his swine.

DAMET A S.

Ye boys that pluck the beauties of the spring,
Fly, fly; a fnake lies hid, and fhoots a sting.

MENAL CAS.

Beware the ftream, drive not the fheep too nigh;
The bank may fail, the rain is hardly dry.

DAME TAS.

Kids from the river drive, and fling your hook;
Anon I'll wash them in the fhallow brook.

MEN AL CAS.

Drive to the fhades; when milk is drain'd by heat,
In vain the milk-maid ftroaks an empty teat.

A fpecies of the willow-tree. N.

C 2

DAME

How lean

DAMETA S.

my bull is in my fruitful field!

Love has the herd, and Love the herdsman kill'd.

MENAL CAS.

Sure thefe feel none of Love's devouring flames,
Mere skin and bone, and yet they drain the dams :
Ah me! what forcerefs has bewitch'd my lambs!

DAMETA S.

Tell me where heaven is juft three inches broad,
And I'll believe thee prophet, or a God.

MENAL CAS.

Tell me where names of kings in rising flowers
Are writ and grow, and Phyllis fhall be yours.

PALE MON.

I cannot judge which youth does most excell;
For you deferve the steer, and he as well.
Reft equal happy both; and all that prove
A bitter, or else fear a pleasing love :

}

But my work calls, let's break the meeting off
Boys, fhut your streams, the fields have drunk enough.

* Eclogue IV. (by Mr. Dryden) is omitted, as it is already in the Collection of the English Poets, vol. XVII. P. 39. The Fifth (by Mr. Duke) is in vol. XI. P. 28; the Sixth (by Lord Roscommon) in vol. X. p. 233; and the Ninth (by Mr, Dryden) in vol. XVII, p. 67.

N.

MELIBOE US, ECLOGUE VII.

BY MR. WILLIAM ADAMS*.

This Eclogue is wholly paftoral, and confifts of the contention of two fhepherds, Thyrfis and Corydon ; to the hearing of which Melibus was invited by Daphnis, and thus relates it.

WHILE Daphnis fate beneath a whispering fhade,

Thyrfis and Corydon together fed

Their mingling flocks; his fheep with fofteft wool
Were cloath'd, his goats of sweetest milk were full.
Both in the beauteous fpring of blooming youth,
The worthy pride of blest Arcadia both;

Each with like art his tuneful voice could raife,
Each anfwer readily in rural lays;

Hither

*This gentleman's memory is preferved by "Fifteen "Difcourfes occafionally delivered before the University of "Oxford. By William Adams, M. A. late ftudent of "Christ Church, and rector of Staunton upon Wye in Herc"fordshire. Published by Henry Sacheverell, D. D. 1716." This volume, of which a fecond edition was published the fame is infcribed to Richard Hopton, efq. knight of the fhire for the county of Hereford, to whom Mr. Adams had been tutor at Chrift Church; an employment he appears to have been well qualified for difcharging. In his younger years he gave many admirable fpecimens of his polite genius,

year,

MENALCA S.

You pipe with him! thou never hadst a pipe -
Well join'd with wax, and fitted to the lip;
But under hedges to the long-ear'd rout

Wert wont, dull fool, to toot a screeching note.

DAMETAS.

And fhall we have a tryal of our skill?

I'll lay this heifer, 'twill be worth your while;
Two calves the fuckles, and yet twice a-day
She fills two pails; now fpeak, what dare you lay ≥

MENAL CAS.

I cannot ftake down any of iny flock,

My fold is little, and but small my stock :
Befides, my father's covetously cross,

My step-dame curft, and they will find the lofs :
For both strict eyes o'er all my actions keep,

One counts my kids, and both twice count my fheep.
But yet I'll lay what you must grant as good
(Since you will lofe) two cups of beechen wood,
Alcimedon made them, 'tis a work divine,
And round the brim ripe grapes and ivy twine;
So curioufly he hits the various fhapes,
And with pale ivy cloaths the blufhing grapes;
It doth my eyes and all my friends delight,
I'm fure your mouth must water at the fight:
Within, two figures neatly carv'd appear,
Conon, and he (who was't?) that made the fphere,
And fhew'd the various feafons of the year.

}

This paffage, with Neftor's cup in Homer, is admirably illuftrated in Mr. Clarke's Connexion of Clarke on Coins, p. 223. N.

What

What time to fhear our sheep, what time to plough: 'Twas never us'd, I kept it clean till now.

DAMETA S.

Alcimedon too made me two beechen pots,
And round the handles wrought fmooth ivy knots;
Orpheus within, and following woods around,
With bended tops, feem listening to the found.
I never us'd them, never brought them forth;
But to my heifer these are little worth.

MENAL CAS.

I'll pay thee off, I'm ready, come let's try,
And he shall be our judge that next comes bys
See, 'tis Palæmon; come, I'll ne'er give o'er,
Till thou shalt never dare to challenge more.

DAMETAS.

Begin, I'll not refuse the skilful'st swain,
I fcorn to turn my back for any man;
I know myself; but pray, judicious friend,
(Tis no finall matter) carefully attend.

PALEMON.

Since we have chofen a convenient place,

Since woods are cloath'd with leaves, the fields with

grafs,

feems fine and

gay,

The trees with fruit, the year
Dametas firft, then next Menalcas play,

By turns, for verfe the Mufes love by turns.

DAME TAS,

My Mufe begin with Jove, all 's full of Joves
The God loves me, and doth my verfes love.

VOL. II.